Courtesy photo
Seacoast Titans Anthony Gayhart and David Jenkins (11) break up a pass intended for Reed Doolan (28) of the Gladiators during Saturday's NHIFL championship in Durham.

DURHAM — On Saturday at Cowell Stadium in Durham, the Seacoast Titans (10-0) did what no other team in the New Hampshire Independent Football League (NHIFL) has ever done: three-peat as champions. The Titans won the high school division championship by a final score of 38-13 over the Berlin Gladiators (6-4). It marked the second straight undefeated season for the Titans.

The Titans took a quick 20-0 lead mid-way through the second quarter behind a touchdown run by Josh Lyndes and a pair of scoring passes by Kyle Stevens. The Titans added the aerial scores from Stevens to Anthony Gayhart, good for 37 and 26 yards. Gayhart finished the day with six catches for 94 yards and three scores. On his third score, he tip-toed down the sidelines after getting behind his defender for six points.

The Gladiators did not waste their opportunities. Behind big runs from Alec Jones of 20 and 16 and Riley Hartshorn's precision passing Berlin put the ball across the goal-line with five minutes to go in the first half. After the converted PAT, the score was 20-7.

A Gladiator's score and an ensuing 3-and-out for the Berlin defense gave the Gladiators the ball on the Titans 40-yard line with 2:34 to go in the half. Berlin, which had all the momentum and their crowd behind them, marched down to the 1-yard line of the Titans. With one-second to go, the Gladiators had an opportunity to send the game into halftime with the score tied. The pass, intended for top wideout Jake Veilleux, was intercepted by Devin Hewlett in the end zone to preserve the Titan lead.

After halftime it was all Titans. The first drive of the second half was successful for Seacoast behind a Hewlett 14-yard touchdown scamper. Hewlett ended the day with 27 yards and a touchdown on the offensive side of the ball and five tackles, a sack and two interceptions for the defense.

David Jenkins, who has been a major contributor all year long, had an incredible run of 45 yards in which he broke seven tackles and received a helping push from a lineman. Jenkins added three tackles (one for a loss) from the safety position.

The stout defense of the Titans stifled the Gladiators throughout the game. Seacoast blocked two punts, one by Ryan McGovern and the other by Scott Eastwood, who added three tackles and a sack. Also, Nate Fisk contributed four tackles, one for a loss.

Titans QB Stevens reached a major milestone as the third quarter wound to a close as his 114 yards in the game helped him reach 1,000 yards on the season. Stevens also threw three touchdowns and an interception in the contest. In addition, Hewlett went over 500 yards on the ground for the year.